A Love Worth Finding?
by AkiraNara
Summary: Dealing with complications was never Shikamaru's style, but when Ino's injury was brought up due to an incident regarding Sai as the possible bad guy, it's a whole different story. -I need help deciding! Please review your opinion. Read beginning for more details. Thanks! (:
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or Naruto.

This story will vary due to reviews. I haven't made a decision in which pairings I should use, but please, may you read my story to see what I wrote so far? :)

**Prologue**

Shikamaru ran through the leaf's forest as quick as he could. There was no telling what could have happened. All he heard were rumors of a bleach blonde hidden leaf village chunin who was taken to the hospital.

He could feel intense worry bestowing his heart. What could it be, he asked himself. There's no way Ino could've been injured… He had made it clear to her to watch her back when she was around Sai. The boy had no feelings of course. All he had was his good looks that seemed to be stolen from Sasuke and those… those fake smiles!

Shikamaru shook his head at the sight of himself. What has the girl done to him? Back then, he wouldn't show a single sign of distress and now here he is rushing to the hospital. The thought of Sai was even troublesome!

He finally made it and quickly bashed through the doors. A nurse called to him.

"Excuse me! What's your purpose here!?"

"No time to explain! I gotta see Ino!" he hurried.

He stopped in his tracks realizing he hadn't even asked if she was in the hospital to begin with.

"ah, sorry. Is Ino Yamanaka checked in?" he turned to the nurse who now had her hands on her hips.

"Ah, yes. Yamanaka is in room 201." she replied, fully obliged.

"thanks!"

He scampered off up the stairs chanting, "room 201" in his head. He opened the door to find Ino hospitalized. Her sad gaze turned to the entrance when she noticed Shikamaru standing at the doorway. He felt a sudden ache in his heart. The poor girl looked in pain. Shikamaru walked to her.

"what happened..?" He asked.

Ino heard the concern in his voice, making her weep.

"I-I was attacked…" She said, closing her eyes.

"Who did it, Ino?" his voice, low and sincere.

She shook her head. She refused to let him know she broke his promise.

"come on… you can tell me…" he persisted.

"It was a chunin from the hidden sound village… that's all" she lied.

Shikamaru's eyebrows lifted in disbelief. He isn't stupid. She should know by now.

"Alright. Now, I lost interest. What a drag…" he sighed. He slowly walked to the door with his hands behind his head. A now ticked Ino shouted at him.

"WHAT THE HECK! I THOUGHT YOU CARED ABOUT ME!" she snapped.

He gave her a sly smile.

"I do care about you. But when you lie it's just too much work." He yawned.

"why you-" she stopped. She had to rethink about it for a moment. Right, she forgot she was dealing with the genius Shikamaru.

"I already know who it was" he assured her.

She just blinked and dared him to announce who did it.

"it was Sai. It was really obvious. Just tell me what happened…"

Ino gulped, as if it was almost too painful to talk about. Ino was always that sweet innocent girl, selling flowers at her shop. One day, Sai came along, bought a bouquet just to hand it to her. The girl's heart fluttered, of course, but had it been the correct move to like this mysterious pale boy? She had remembered people talking about the boy as if he was a no body. They said he was emotionless! Ino didn't want to believe any of the rumors because of that specific day.

Shikamaru just yawned as he waited for her response…

**Hello there! C: I'm new to the writing industry so my stories might need a lot of work! I'd appreciate a few tips :) Also, I'd like your guys' opinions! Shall this story be an InoxSai or InoxShikamaru? Please leave a review and let me know! Thank you for reading what I wrote so far! Toodaloos lovelies ^-^**


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 – An Incomprehensive Motive**

Shikamaru just yawned as he waited for her response.

Ino just stared deeply into the boy's eyes. She suddenly felt like she could tell her companion anything that happened, even though she knew he wouldn't like it. She gulped loudly before she spoke.

"I couldn't comprehend it myself… The actions and decisions he made. They seemed so unreal and so senseless. It happened this morning when I was just opening the flower shop. I told myself it was going to be a good day, until, he walked in."

Shikamaru listened and nodded his head. "go on?"

"He walked in casually and I smiled at him while he looked at flowers. He was so cute, well only because he looks like Sasuke…" admitted Ino, almost getting off topic.

"What a drag! Sasuke isn't _that_ great!" he retorted out of jealously.

Ino giggled a little, smiling inside that he did feel jealous while she talked about other boys. Her mood was lifting now that she was getting comfortable around her old friend.

"Well, as he was looking at the flowers, he began to sketch a bouquet of beautiful roses I had just put on display. I thought it was quite natural since I've been watching him sketch for a while…" said Ino.

Shikamaru clenched his fist a little and cursed at his luck. Why didn't she pay that much attention to him? He was already ready to strangle Sai with his Shadow Jutsus. Ino watched Shikamaru's slight jealous reactions. She then thought to herself, 'but I watch you the most, Shikamaru…' She put her thought aside, because she wanted to save those words for a better time. For a time when she is ready to tell him how she actually feels.

"Sai then turned to me, gave me a sweet smile before completing his sketch when out of the blue, giant paintings of roses with thick thorns popped out of his art pad. He had begun to paint ferociously, which seemed to make the flowers move as he pleased. The beautiful roses no longer looked beautiful… They had turned into a terrifying weapon. The roses began to grow larger and larger, crowding up every aisle with its stems that beheld thorns. It had happened so quick… It had caught me off guard so I was caught into a tight grip…" she explained.

Shikamaru shivered as he imagined such a cold smile before a brutal attack. He thought about the situation: so she was in a huge rose's grip while the thorns stabbed at her skin… and it happened so quick that she was in no position to run. He felt that it was understandable why she hadn't been able to fight back. Even he knew his intelligent self couldn't have came up with a plan in mere seconds to avoid it. He observed her fair light skinned, arms and legs. It was no wonder she was bruised and had tons of cuts.

"It was a non-stop stabbing sensation on my whole body. Sai walked up to me without hassle and said, 'Stay away from Shikamaru… or else…' turning his fake smile into an emotionless one… I was in so much pain; I had to say I would. So, he finally made the rose's grip drop me and disappeared before I was able to get him back. A moment later, the medics arrived and took me to the hospital. They detected that I was fatally poisoned. The medics… said I'd be…"

Ino's sentences were started to fall short as she looked as if she was about to pass out. Shikamaru shouted for the medics.

"They… said I'd be fine…With the proper care…" she continued.

"Ino… Why would he tell you to stay away from me?" Shikamaru asked out of curiosity.

"maybe… jealous… that I paid more attention to you…" she slurred, becoming almost unconscious.

"WHERE ARE THOSE DAMN MEDICS!?" Shikamaru yelled out to the air.

"Shikamaru… I- "

"Stop talking, Ino. You need to save your energy." He interrupted her, worried.

Shikamaru held her small face, examining her every being. Ino stared at Shikamaru and gave him a weak smile before she let her eyes shut. Shikamaru's heart dropped. He began to panic as he continued holding onto her face.

"Ino? Ino!? INO!?" he cried.

He kissed her softly, hoping she would awake. The medics burst in, fully rushed and pushed Shikamaru out of the way. They began to use their medical jutsu, observing every aspect of life that was in her and multiplying her cells to bring her back. The medical ninjas all sighed in relief.

"Ino Yamanaka is still alive and will continue to live after a couple of more treatments" A nurse informed Shikamaru.

He bawled his fist and put it near his heart as he felt it lift. She was okay, after all, but that didn't solve the Sai problem. He cracked his knuckles and gritted his teeth. He wasn't just ready to strangle Sai, but he was also ready to find out why he'd do such a thing to his beloved Ino.

* * *

**Thank you to those who commented and helped me decide on the pairings :) You guys are awesome! I too agree with Shika x Ino ;) I hoped you guys liked what I wrote so far and I hope you keep reading my next chapters :D**


End file.
